I spy....

... the Booger's pacifier in the fridge. Why, you might ask? He's teething and that helps his little gums? Is it some strange sterilizing fad? Maybe a safe place so it doesn't get lost in the rest of the chaos you call a house?

Great guesses, but no sir-ee... the unexciting, but wholly honest answer is because his momma had one of those weeks. The kind you know going into it will be long, but by the end of it you realize you didn't really know quite how long that meant.

The Booger understands.

Oh- does he ever understand. No- I did not edit this picture for dramatic effect. These are the basset hound eyes my son was sporting Thursday night. Yes, that is bright slime green gunk collecting at the bottom. Yes, they were so red and puffy it looks like hes been in a fight. Oh, and yes, I was two hours away when day care called to inform me of the green-eyed monster.

Oh, the joys!

He's ready for his close up!

I have enjoyed this week already so much. I get to get up, go to work, get my boy, come home and....wait for it... stay home! And love and play with my boy. Oh, how terrific.

I still have a thousand and two things running through my head to do, but for once it's okay that I take my time about it. After all, it is still the first week. My wonderful husband and parents helped to give my room a much needed revamp over the last week and the weekend. It was great to start things off with a clean slate and slightly more organized. Once it's all said and done, I'll post a few pictures. (oh and once I rehang what has already been stripped off the wall by my busier students..)

Right now, I'm reveling in the much anticipated time with the sweetest boy in the universe.

I get to spend all my weekends with that smile!

Slacker...

Not, really. I've actually been super busy all week, didn't really get a chance to sit down (unless I was falling into bed) until last night. And even then, had to do some research for school. Welcome back to real life. Way to go all you ladies who do it every day, and have had me beat for years. If you can do it, I can too. Go team!

Last Thursday, teachers officially reported to school, so I spent the day there. Over the weekend, I went into a crazy house cleaning, organizing frenzy, realizing that I needed to accomplish some things before I would not have time ever again. Plus we put our house back together- we've been refinishing floors for the past couple months, and finally finished and put things back in their places. It's quite nice to be typing this while sitting on the couch, not holed up in our bedroom because it was the only (semi) clutter free place. (I'll post some pictures later, it looks amazing!)

I worked on Monday, then school started Tuesday. So Tuesday and Thursday evening I spent working after school, Wednesday was grocery shopping. Yesterday, I was supposed to work but lucked out and got to spend the evening with my boys. The Booger and I are heading to the office for a few hours after his nap today too.

I'm tired just thinking about it all again! It really was a good week though. The teacher I'm working is amazing, as are the other teachers and prinicpal at the school. I'm pretty lucky, as I think this will be a good semester. And I have a job to look forward to.

So- really, I have only been a blog slacker. I decided I would rather spend time with the Booger instead of writing about him. I'm pretty satisified with that choice too :-)

He's on strike!

The Booger is posing some trouble as I return to the semi-real adult working world. Since he hit 6 months, he dropped a couple daytime feedings because his belly was big enough to fill up plus his solid foods in between were keeping him satisfied longer. This meant that even on days that I worked all day, I could nurse him on my lunch break, and he hasn't needed to have bottles. He went several weeks without any bottles at all, and had one when he spent the day with daddy at work. This past Monday I was unable to come home to nurse him, so we left a bottle.

That he adamantly refused for four hours until I got home. We didn't think much of it, I nursed him when I got home and we chalked it up to a fluke.

Until today. He refused to take it again. Let me describe to you the scene I discovered when I got lucky enough to come home early (Mind you I was excited to come home early and then I am greeted with a grouchy, incredibly displeased baby). The Booger sitting in his grandma's lap, slapping his bottle with quite an amazing amount of force, arching his back with every ounce he had, and squealing with an intense amount of displeasure. He then preceded to wiggle himself down, chew on the bottle, pull it out of his mouth, and screech some more. This went on for several minutes, all to my amazement that my generally good natured baby was throwing and all out baby tantrum! Complete with kicking feet.

The last couple times, we've offered the bottle a few times, then when he refused, gave him his usual cereal and fruit for lunch, and kept attempting to offer the bottle. But I think this is counteractive because then he's not really even hungry. After some talking with my sister, I think we've decided to not give him lunch until he takes his bottle. My rationale is that breastmilk is more important than anything else as this point, so we'll wait until he's hungry enough to take his bottle. I've also thought about offering it in a sippy cup. (Stay tuned for more ponderings about those crazy things!)

Ugh! I've barely even started getting into what will be our new situation, and am torn enough just knowing how much I will miss him from now on. Doesn't he know this is hard enough without worrying about him eating enough? Anyone have any suggestions for their own bottle strike experiences?

The naughty boy being cute as a button

Welcome to parenthood!

I always knew I’d be a working mom. I just didn’t know I would have to be a working mom so soon after my son was born. The problem was, my darling boy wanted to join our family a couple years before we planned. I was still in school, about to start one of two internships. Baby’s appearance meant that I was going to need to take a semester off, and delay my second internship- thus delaying a teaching job. Long story short- I couldn’t work nearly as much as usual and our savings dwindled fast. Meaning I would need to return to work as soon as I could convince the doctor to clear me.

I am a very busy, ambitious person and have always been on the go. I knew I wanted to be a mom and love my son more than I ever imagined. After the first few weeks, I was really not sure if I could go back to work. However, after being in the house for weeks I needed to be out in the world with adults, tackling something concrete. My son was born in January, and we live in Michigan, so even when he was old enough to be out and about, I had to hope the weather would cooperate. Stay at home moms are amazing, wonderful women who don’t get the credit they deserve.

Truthfully, I didn’t like doubting myself as a new mom, where I questioned everything. Did he have enough to eat? Was he too cold? Too hot? Was he sleeping too much? Was THAT normal? I knew I was competent at work and that it would be good for me and my family to be more self-assured again.

I am lucky enough to have a job that was flexible, not my dream job, but doable. My original plans to return to work from home fell through. At first, I was secretly happy because it meant more time with my wonderful baby. But then reality (and bills) hit home and I knew I couldn’t really enjoy it for much longer. I now work part time with a flexible schedule. I work two full days while my mother in law stayed with my son. The other three days, I leave work before my husband has to be to work, and we have a friend to help us out in a pinch. Thanks to this schedule and knowing that I get to come home on my lunch break to feed him, returning to work wasn’t as hard as it could have been. I never have to go more than a few hours without being with him.


Being home for most of the day several days a week gives me plenty of time to do laundry, cook, do other wifely things around the house, and spend time with my wonderful baby. What will I do when I have to really join the world of working moms?!?

The Booger (2.5 mo's old) ready to get out of the house!